Assistance to the Palestinian people – Emergency report on OPT – WFP report (excerpts)

WFP Emergency Report No. 21 of 2002

/…

D) Middle East: (1) Palestinian Territories 

1) Palestinian Territories 

(a) On 21 May, WFP launched an emergency operation to assist 500,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with about 70,000 tons of food, to cover their basic needs until the end of the year. With about 29,000 tons of food already covered, this operation is short of about 41,000 tons of food worth over USD 18 million. WFP is appealing to all donors to provide further contributions.

(b) Living conditions have dramatically deteriorated in the Palestinian Territories. Malnutrition is rapidly increasing. Even when food is available in some of the markets, many people have become increasingly unable to meet all their food needs. According to a recent World Bank study, up to 50 percent of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories live below the poverty line, earning less than USD 2 a day per person.

(c) Largely dependent on Israel, the Palestinian agricultural and food economy has been foundering. Due to Israeli closures and security procedures, Palestinian farmers and fishermen are unable to sustain a regular supply for the local markets. The Palestinian territories' annual cereal production averages around 60,000 tons, while needs are estimated at 800,000 tons, with the shortfall usually covered through commercial imports.

/…